Speakers
Description
Our model attempts to apply the Willingness to Communicate (WTC) construct to the team teaching (TT) EFL context in Japan. We divided WTC into three areas: language proficiency and perceptions thereof, or LP; interpersonal and intercultural differences (II); and workplace logistics considerations (WL). We surveyed and interviewed team teachers in Japanese EFL contexts based on this model. We found that JTE and ALT perspectives on the most challenging areas differed significantly: the majority of ALTs identified WL issues as most challenging, whereas the large majority of JTE responses were evenly split between WL and LP. However, the Likert scale responses from surveys only partially reflected these reports. We hope to use the qualitative data collected in freeform question responses and interviews to account for some of these discrepancies, and to identify other factors potentially not included in the current survey and/or model. During the presentation, participants will be invited to share their own experiences of TT and/or other collaborative experiences in Japanese workplaces; to consider these experiences in the context of our model, and thus evaluate the model's usefulness; and to exchange advice and anecdotal evidence of successful TT and collaborative interaction from their own professional contexts.
